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power plant (northeastern Utah) and the Aspinall Unit (western Colorado) of the CRSP, the Upper and Lower Molina powerplants of the Collbran Project (western Colorado), and possibly the Elephant Butte power plant of the Rio Grande Project (New Mexico). Any operational changes to reduce the hourly variation in water releases through these power plants could further reduce the total capacity available to SLCAlIP firm power customers. SLCAlIP Electric Power Marketing EIS In addition to serving Reclamation project use loads, Western markets surplus SLCA/IP firm power through long-term wholesale firm electric service contracts to eligible public power utilities, These contracts identify each customer's share of the total SLIP commitment level. The SLIP commitment level was recently reestablished through a public process that concluded with the completion of Western's Electric Power Marketing EIS (EPM-EIS) in January 1996. Initially, Western began the EIS process to determine the environmental impacts of Western's then-proposed changes to the level of long-term finn electric capacity and energy sales from the SLCAJIP. The EPM-EIS concluded that most impacts to natural and cultural resources would result from hydropower operations rather than from commitment levels. 1bis is due to the fact that commitment levels are only weakly linked to hydropower operations. The EPM-EIS recommended that selection of a high energy' and high capacity commitment level, referred to as the Post-I 989 level. 1bis firm power commitment level establishes an upper limit for Western to provide capacity and energy. This commitment level, outlined in customer contracts which expire in 2004, was approved on October 17, 1996 when the EPM-EIS Record of Decision was signed by Western's Administrator, J.M, Shafer. Current Western Power Purchasing Practices The Replacement Resources Pro- cess relates to Western's power purchas- ing authorities and practices. Western has the authority to purchase power to comple- ment the variable nature of Federal hydroelectric power generated at Recla- mation projects. When establishing long- term finn capacity and energy commit- ment leveIs, Western considers many relevant factors, such as hydroelectric ' generator capability, transmission limita- tions, annual snowpack conditions and reservoir end-of-month target storage conditions. Western regularly purchases power on the spot market on a short-term basis because of shortfalls in hydroelectric generation, variations in the market price of power, and to relieve transmission limitations. 1bis is a standard operating practice of electric utilities and provides Western flexibility to respond to customer needs during times of varying electricity demand. Contract Amendment on Replacement Power Purchases Western has worked with a group of its SLCAlIP finn-power customer repre- sentatives to develop and implement contract amendments that accommodate replacement power decisions, and to address other impacts of changed opera- tions at federal power resources. These contract amendments establish a prudent long-term commitment level of sustain- able hydropower (SHP) and address the replacement of unavailable power at GCD II